Ballasted solar hot water racking system for flat plate collectors

ABSTRACT

A solar ballasted racking system holds hot water flat plate solar collectors in place on flat roofs without penetrating the roof surface. The racking system also holds the collector in place, providing a stable, long-term placement on the roof while protecting the roof surface with foam pads placed under the ballast tray. The ballast tray is built in two sections—one to hold the solar collector in place and a second to act as a wind deflector that deflects the wind off the solar collector. Ballast blocks are added into the ballast tray to hold the collector in place. The racking system may enhance the life of the roof while protecting the roof surface and allowing for lower ballasted weights due to the wind deflector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to solar energy systems and, moreparticularly, to a ballasted solar hot water racking system that holdshot water flat plate solar collectors in place on flat roofs withoutpenetrating the roof surface.

The present method of mounting flat plate hot water solar collectors isto use racking systems that attach directly to the roof or use aconcrete curb system that sits on the roof and can potentially damagethe roof surface. These conventional mounting systems are often timeconsuming to build and install, often resulting in leaks in the roofsurface over time.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved solar hot water rackingsystem for flat plate collectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a solar flat plate collectorracking system comprises a main unit ballast tray adapted to rest on aroof surface; a ballast back tray attached to the main unit ballast trayand adapted to extend away from the roof surface; at least two supportstraps running diagonally between and attached to the main unit ballasttray and the ballast back tray; a wind deflector ballast tray attachedto the main unit ballast tray; a wind deflector channel extending fromthe wind deflector ballast tray to the ballast back tray; and a winddeflector attached to the wind deflector channel.

In another aspect of the present invention, a solar flat plate collectorracking system comprises a main unit ballast tray adapted to rest on aroof surface; a ballast back tray attached to the main unit ballast trayand adapted to extend away from the roof surface; at least two supportstraps running diagonally between and attached to the main unit ballasttray and the ballast back tray; a wind deflector ballast tray attachedto the main unit ballast tray; a wind deflector channel extending fromthe wind deflector ballast tray to the ballast back tray; a winddeflector attached to the wind deflector channel; side support angleextending from the main unit ballast tray and attached to the winddeflector ballast tray; a support angle disposed at the connectionbetween the ballast back tray and the main unit ballast tray; andmounting brackets disposed on an edge of the main unit ballast tray andthe ballast back tray.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for support asolar collector comprises attaching the solar collector to a rackingsystem, the racking system including a main unit ballast tray adapted torest on a roof surface; a ballast back tray attached to the main unitballast tray and adapted to extend away from the roof surface; at leasttwo support straps running diagonally between and attached to the mainunit ballast tray and the ballast back tray; a wind deflector ballasttray attached to the main unit ballast tray; a wind deflector channelextending from the wind deflector ballast tray to the ballast back tray;and a wind deflector attached to the wind deflector channel; andweighting down the racking system with one or more ballast blocksdisposed in at least one of the main unit ballast tray and the winddeflector ballast tray, wherein the racking system rests on a roofsurface without penetrating the roof surface.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of solar flat plate collector rackingsystem according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the solar flat plate collector racking system ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the solar flat plate collector racking systemof FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the solar flat plate collector racking systemof FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the solar flat plate collector rackingsystem of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a solarballasted racking system that holds hot water flat plate solarcollectors in place on flat roofs without penetrating the roof surface.The racking system also holds the collector in place, providing astable, long-term placement on the roof while protecting the roofsurface with foam pads placed under the ballast tray. The ballast trayis built in two sections—one to hold the solar collector in place and asecond to act as a wind deflector that deflects the wind off the solarcollector. Ballast blocks are added into the ballast tray to hold thecollector in place. The racking system of the present invention mayenhance the life of the roof while protecting the roof surface andallowing for lower ballasted weights due to the wind deflector.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 5, a racking system 10 may include amain unit ballast tray 26 adapted to rest on a flat roof (not shown). Afoam pad (not shown) may be disposed under the ballast tray 26 toprovide cushioning between the main unit ballast tray 26 and the roof.

A ballast back tray 24 may attach along one side of the main unitballast tray 26 at generally a 90 degree angle thereto, such that theballast back tray 24 extends away from the roof surface when the rackingsystem 10 is installed on a flat roof. A support angle 34 may bedisposed where the main unit ballast tray 26 attaches to the ballastback tray 24. In some embodiments, the edge along the ballast back tray24 and/or the edge along the main unit ballast tray 26 may be bent at a90 degree angle to help secure these two elements together. The ballastback tray 24 may be secured to the main unit ballast tray 26 byconventional fasteners. In some embodiments, the ballast back tray 24may be welded to, or formed integrally with, with main unit ballast tray26.

Support straps 14 may run diagonally between the ballast back tray 24and the main unit ballast tray 26 to provide additional support. In someembodiments, two support straps 14 may be spaced apart in each rackingunit 10.

Support angle 30 may span at least part of the length of the ballastback tray 24. The support angle 30 may run generally parallel to themain unit ballast tray 26. In some embodiments, two support angles 30may be spaced apart, running along the length of the ballast back tray24. The support angle 30 may provide structural support for the ballastback tray 24. There may be from zero to about four such support angles30 disposed on the ballast back tray 24.

The main unit ballast tray 26 may have an edge (an edge opposite theedge to which the ballast back tray 24 is attached) bent upward(parallel to the ballast back tray 24) and then bent outward (parallelto the main unit ballast tray 26 surface, but away therefrom) to providea mounting surface. One or more, typically two, mounting brackets 16 maybe attached to this mounting surface. Other mechanisms may be used todisposed the mounting brackets 16 onto the edge of the main unit ballasttray 26. Additional mounting brackets 16 may be attached to an upperedge of the ballast back tray 24.

A solar collector 12 may mount onto the mounting brackets 16. The designof the mounting brackets 16 may vary depending on the design andmanufacturer of the solar collector 12. The solar collector 12 may bedisposed at various angles from about 20 to about 60 degrees, forexample. This angle may be adjusted by adjusting the height of theballast back tray 24.

Side support angle 32 may connect to and extend from each outer edge ofthe main unit ballast tray 26. The side support angle 32 may extend toand attach to a wind deflector ballast tray 28. A wind deflector channel20 may extend from the wind deflector ballast tray 28 to the ballastblock tray 24. In some embodiments, two wind deflector channels 20 maybe disposed on each end of the racking system 10 to support a winddeflector 18 thereupon. The wind deflector 18 may be adapted to blockwind from blowing directly against the solar collector 12. The winddeflector 18 may also reduce the amount of ballast weight, describedbelow, needed to hold the racking system 10 in place on the roof. Thewind deflector 18 may be mounted at various angles relative to the roof.This angle may vary from about 30 degrees to about 70 degrees, typicallyabout 50 degrees. The angle may be controlled, independently of theangle of the solar collector 12, by adjusting the location along theside support angle 32 to which the main unit ballast tray 26 and thewind deflector ballast tray 28 are attached.

Ballast block 22 may be disposed on the main unit ballast tray 26 andthe wind deflector ballast tray 28. The ballast block 22 may be, forexample, concrete, iron, steel, or the like. Typically, the ballastblock 22 may be concrete. The weight of the ballast block 22 may besuitable to retain the racking system 10 to the roof. The wind deflector18 may permit the use of less ballast block weight as compared toconventional systems without a wind deflector.

The racking system 10 allows the solar contractor who is installing theflat plate solar collector to assemble the racking system 10 with simpletools, providing for ease of use. The ballast trays 26, 28 supports thesolar panel 12 while using simple braces 14 which are attached to thebottom of the main unit ballast tray 26 and the ballast back tray 24.The mounting brackets 16 may be pre-drilled so that the contractor maysimply line up the brackets 16 to the lips on the main unit ballast tray26 and the ballast back tray 24 and attach mounting clips to themounting brackets 16 to install the solar panel 12. The contractor maymake the necessary plumbing connections and install the wind deflector18 to the support channel 20 with, for example, sheet metal screws.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A solar flat plate collector racking systemcomprising: a main unit ballast tray adapted to rest on a roof surface;a ballast back tray attached to the main unit ballast tray and adaptedto extend away from the roof surface; at least two support strapsrunning diagonally between and attached to the main unit ballast trayand the ballast back tray; a wind deflector ballast tray attached to themain unit ballast tray; a wind deflector channel extending from the winddeflector ballast tray to the ballast back tray; and a wind deflectorattached to the wind deflector channel.
 2. The solar flat platecollector racking system of claim 1, further comprising side supportangle extending from the main unit ballast tray and attached to the winddeflector ballast tray.
 3. The solar flat plate collector racking systemof claim 1, further comprising one or more support angles disposed alonga length of the ballast back tray.
 4. The solar flat plate collectorracking system of claim 1, further comprising a support angle disposedat the connection between the ballast back tray and the main unitballast tray.
 5. The solar flat plate collector of claim 1, furthercomprising mounting brackets disposed on an edge of the main unitballast tray and the ballast back tray.
 6. The solar flat platecollector of claim 1, further comprising one or more ballast blocksadapted to be disposed in at least one of the main unit ballast tray andthe wind deflector ballast tray.
 7. A solar flat plate collector rackingsystem comprising: a main unit ballast tray adapted to rest on a roofsurface; a ballast back tray attached to the main unit ballast tray andadapted to extend away from the roof surface; at least two supportstraps running diagonally between and attached to the main unit ballasttray and the ballast back tray; a wind deflector ballast tray attachedto the main unit ballast tray; a wind deflector channel extending fromthe wind deflector ballast tray to the ballast back tray; a winddeflector attached to the wind deflector channel; side support angleextending from the main unit ballast tray and attached to the winddeflector ballast tray; a support angle disposed at the connectionbetween the ballast back tray and the main unit ballast tray; andmounting brackets disposed on an edge of the main unit ballast tray andthe ballast back tray.
 8. The solar flat plate collector racking systemof claim 7, further comprising one or more support angles disposed alonga length of the ballast back tray.
 9. A method for support a solarcollector, the method comprising: attaching the solar collector to aracking system, the racking system including: a main unit ballast trayadapted to rest on a roof surface; a ballast back tray attached to themain unit ballast tray and adapted to extend away from the roof surface;at least two support straps running diagonally between and attached tothe main unit ballast tray and the ballast back tray; a wind deflectorballast tray attached to the main unit ballast tray; a wind deflectorchannel extending from the wind deflector ballast tray to the ballastback tray; and a wind deflector attached to the wind deflector channel;and weighting down the racking system with one or more ballast blocksdisposed in at least one of the main unit ballast tray and the winddeflector ballast tray, wherein the racking system rests on a roofsurface without penetrating the roof surface.
 10. The method of claim 9,further comprising deflecting wind from the racking system and the solarcollector.